fitting Instructions  Ref: solar
	Use and Care of Swimming Pool Covers All bubble covers are designed to float directly on the water surface. A solar bubble cover is made from a translucent material to maximise energy gain from sunlight. A heat retention bubble cover is made from an opaque coloured material, designed to minimise energy loss. A swimming pool cover will be an ongoing commitment and for ease of handling on and off the pool a good quality roller system should be used. There are considerable benefits: 1. A Solar Bubble cover will heat the water (& retain that heat) by up to 6 - 8 degrees Celsius 2. A Solar & Heat Retention bubble cover will reduce chemical consumption by 35 - 60% 3. They also cut down cleaning time by keeping dirt and other debris out of the pool 4. It will conserve water by reducing the amount of top up water needed by 30-50% It is highly recommended that the first step in cutting pool energy loss, be the evaluation of the economics of using a swimming pool Solar or heat retention bubble cover. How long will it last With UV (Ultra Violet) and pool chemicals such as Chlorine a pool cover lives in a very harsh environment. The chlorine in the water is constantly attacking it, the UV rays produced by the sun attacks it and heat will also play its part in accelerating the effects of the chlorine and UV A bubble cover has a limited life and will only last around 50 - 125% of their life span depending on the amount of care given by the owner. The environment in a pool is created by: 1. The amount of UV rays produced by the sun 2. The volume of pool chemicals (such as chlorine) in the pool water 3. The chemistry parameters that balance the pool water (pH) Potens Hydrogen, (CH) Calcium Hardness, (TA) Total Alkalinity 4. The heat of the pool water (whilst the cover is on the pool) 5. The heat generated in the pool cover (whilst the cover is off the pool water) 6. A combination of all the above factors To summarise: A swimming pool with a high volume of chlorine, unbalanced water, that is allowed to get very hot, in a sunny position, will reduce the lifespan of a bubble cover, and speed up the process of degradation. How to increase the life span Ensure the pool water is balanced 1. Potens Hydrogen (pH) Ideal 7.4 range: 7.2 to 7.8 If the pH is too low the water becomes very corrosive If the pH is too high scaling will occur 2. Calcium Hardness (CH) Ideal 275 range: 150 - 400 ppm If the CH is too low the water becomes corrosive If the CH is too high scaling will occur 3. Total Alkalinity (TA) Ideal 100 range: 80 - 120 ppm If the TA is too low the water becomes corrosive If the TA is too high scaling will occur Do not allow the chlorine level to exceed 4.0 ppm (4 parts chlorine to 1 million parts water, which is 4 ml per litre) the ideal 2.0 ppm range is between 1.0-3.0 ppm These levels provide a guideline of recommended ranges for safe bathing. Consult your water treatment supplier for further information. When a pool is "shock dosed" with shock chlorine, ensure the pool cover is completely removed from the water surface area and replaced only when the chlorine level is back to normal. High chlorine levels and unbalanced pool water will increase the corrosive effect on the pool cover and lead to premature aging. Chlorine in its natural state is a gas, however, when it is added to the pool water (solid, liquid or gas) it automatically reverts back to its natural state (a gas) and rises through the water then dissipates into the atmosphere though evaporation. When a bubble cover is installed on a pool this evaporation does not occur, and the chlorine re-circulates through the water, a movement created by the pool pump and filtration equipment. This action sanitizes the water. The volume of chlorine in the pool will increase, when the cover is installed and the water will test higher. To avoid a higher concentration of chlorine the level and input of chlorine must be reduced, between 35 - 60 % Turn down the controls on your automatic dispenser or salt-water chlorinator, if physically adding, reduce the quantity to obtain the correct chlorine level. Ensure your pump and filtration system is operating during the hot part of the day 10.00 am to 4.00 pm whilst a solar cover is installed on a pool. The sun heats the water through the solar cover; warmer water rises together with the chlorine gas, while the water beneath remains cool. We need to relieve the heat and get the chlorine moving throughout the water again. This will mix and circulate the concentrated level of chlorine, warmer and cooler water, and keep the build up of chlorine away from the cover. All of this will gain the best benefits from the solar pool cover and will help to prolong its life. Installing a bubble cover For covers that are not hemmed with a re-inforced edging. Ensure the water level is correct. Carefully un-pack the over a lay on the water, bubble side down, smooth side facing upwards. Trim the cover with a pair of scissors to fit snugly around the pool wall. Remember not to cut off too much in one go, as it is possible to pull the cover away from the opposite wall while cutting thus ending up with a cover too small. Cut around pool ladders ensuring radiused corners rather than square, as a right angle cut into the cover will produce a weak point that could tear. Alternatively fit ladder hinges that will lift the ladder away from the pool cover. Handling the cover The ideal way is to purchase a good quality pool roller that will allow you to handle the cover with ease, therefore gaining the most benefits of owning the pool cover. If you have to physically handle the cover it is best to fan fold the cover at one end of the pool. Caring for the cover when it is off the pool All covers must be stored in a shaded area out of direct sunlight. Never left out in direct sunlight whilst folded or wound onto a roller. The heat generated by the sun will be magnified many times, causing the degradation of the material, the results may not be immediate but they can be very serious. The effects will be, very high heat concentrated inside the cover material, leading to the air in the bubbles expanding and forcing apart the laminated area's causing the bubbles to join making stripes of bigger bubbles. This in itself is not life threatening unless repeated constantly. The cover can also become so hot it becomes molten and will weld itself together, thus destroying itself, or lines of degraded bubbles appear across the pool cover. Most fabricators and suppliers of pool covers supply a white or silver solar protector sheet / cover that will help protect the cover against the harmful rays and heat of the sun. Should the cover be taken off the pool if it gets too hot Remove the cover off the pool if the air temperature exceeds 35 degrees C and place the solar cover protector sheet over it, and place in a protected shaded area. Cleaning and storage of cover When the cover is installed on the pool, less dust and debris will be prone to settle into the pool most will be blown away by the wind. (Without the cover debris will get waterlogged and sink) Airborne dust and debris can be swept to one area of the cover then extracted, or with the pool filtration running, hose the debris towards the skimmer basket. When the pool is not in use, during the closed season, The cover should be cleaned / hosed down with fresh tap water, covered with the solar protector sheet and stored in a shaded area ideally a garage or shed.